Not today scammers!

Well, that was interesting. My wife was called by the “fraud” department at “our bank” and thankfully she knew to confirm first!

If you haven’t been living under a rock lately, you’ve likely seen the headlines about the scammers, phishing attacks, and hacking going on. There is an active campaign where scammers are calling people, claiming to be with their bank and people are falling victim to giving access to their account. Many people are losing their life savings … or worse, this week’s groceries money to these cunning thieves.

The caller will claim to “serving you”, “with the fraud department”, “seeing a lot of suspicious activity”, and “a bunch of attempts to login from various locations”. They may also pressure you to act quickly to prevent those pesky fraudsters from gaining access. To do this, they just need to ask you a few simple questions.

HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, BUDDY!

The reality is NO reliable and reputable bank will call you with such a story.

Dealing with scam calls can be unnerving, but knowing the right steps to take can help you protect your personal information. Here’s an easy guide to follow if you find yourself on the phone with a scammer:

Step 1: Stay Calm and Be Skeptical

• Stay Calm: Don’t let the caller rush or fluster you. Scammers often use pressure tactics.
• Be Skeptical: If someone calls asking for personal or financial information, be wary. Legitimate organizations typically don’t ask for sensitive details over the phone.

Step 2: Don’t Share Personal Information

Keep Information Private: Never share personal details like your social security number, bank account information, or passwords.

• Ask Questions: If they claim to be from a known organization, ask for their name, department, and an official contact number. Verify this information independently.

Step 3: End the Conversation

• Hang Up: If the call feels suspicious, it’s okay to simply hang up.
• Use Call Blocking: Consider using your phone’s call blocking feature to avoid future calls from the same number. Unfortunately, in our situation the caller was able to spoof the phone number so it looked like it was coming from the bank.

Step 4: Verify Independently

• Contact the Organization Directly: If they claim to be from a legitimate organization, find the official contact number from their website or your documents and call them to verify the inquiry.
• Do Not Use Contact Information They Provide: Scammers can give fake numbers that lead back to them.

Step 5: Report the Call

• Notify Authorities: Report the scam call to your local consumer protection agency or the national fraud reporting center in your country (e.g., FTC in the USA, Action Fraud in the UK).
• Alert Your Network: Consider informing friends and family, especially if the scam is particularly convincing or targets a specific group.

Step 6: Educate Yourself

• Stay Informed: Familiarize yourself with common scam tactics and warning signs.
• Review Account Statements: Regularly check your financial statements for any unauthorized transactions.

Remember, it’s better to be cautious and hang up than to risk giving away personal information to a scammer.

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